In the New Year we focus on healthiness becoming incorporated into our lifestyles. But why not take some of this away into a respite? Conscious of leaving behind the indulgent behaviours of the festive season, we look to form a new essence of fitness. Travellers make the new demand for restoration with a plan that will become the highlight of this year. Wellness travel will be redefined in 2026.
Lifespan V Healthspan: The Beginning
Quick fixes of hardcore exercise are less relevant to those seeking to reward themselves proactively with a gentler form of fitness. In Croatia, Villa Dubrovnik’s Serenity Walk offers a mindful journey at Lokrum Island, combining breathwork, private yoga, sea swimming and time spent beneath ancient olive trees – a reminder that longevity often begins with simplicity.
Recovery Programmes: The Growth
The starting point of the recovery programme can be simplified in a resort that offers rejuvenating stays in this new year. No longer just led by wellness circles, this is a movement in the mainstream path for travellers. At COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali, Wellness Paths are built around targeted recalibration, pairing therapeutic treatments with lifestyle guidance to support sustained wellbeing. In California, Pendry Newport Beach offers a signature Wellness Journey that blends cryotherapy with CBD-infused scrubs, wraps and massage for full-body restoration. Hotels are also investing in purpose-built recovery environments.
Wellness: The Social Experiment
The strength of connection with other human beings can be found in various travel plans of 2026. Community is paramount this season and the richness of sharing social spaces can be found in a selection of resorts. At Ibiza Gran Hotel, a resident run club offers guests a social, endorphin-led way to explore the island together. ZEL Hotels place community-based wellness at the heart of their offering, with inclusive programming ranging from run clubs and tennis sessions to relaxed, sociable movement that feels accessible rather than prescriptive.
Aesthetic Wellness: Glow-cations
A mix of beautiful vacation backdrops with the prospect of a tailored science led treatment makes a stay a pleasurable experience. At Shangri-La Paris, organic facials by Alaena are complemented by a dedicated Skin Studio in partnership with Innerskin, offering advanced treatments including HydraFacials with PRX-T33, radiofrequency and LED light therapy. In Greece, Conrad Athens, The Ilisian delivers highly personalised aesthetic treatments overseen by Dr Costas Papageorgiou, also known for his work at Harrods, seamlessly blending medical-grade expertise with luxury hospitality.
The Resident Herbalist: The Appointment
The popularity for trained herbalists prescribing authentic blended treatments in spas has become the new flavour of 2026. At Magma Resort Santorini, Lava Spa treatments incorporate indigenous ingredients such as olive oil, red grapes and volcanic minerals, inspired by ancient Greek practices. Zelia Halkidiki champions olive-based rituals sourced from surrounding groves, while Albaro Wellness & Spa at Grand Park Hotel Rovinj draws on Istria’s herbal traditions, using wormwood-based botanicals, wild herbs and locally produced olive oil in restorative scrubs and massage treatments.
There are so many avenues to explore in this new movement of the new year. The new travel care programme has begun with many travellers thinking outside the box and going to stay in one of these specialists’ resorts. The offering of a better, fulfilled start to 2026 is consumed by a healthy mantra of a healthier enlightenment.
